The invention relates to dairy equipment, and more particularly to milking clusters, and further particularly to a milk hose positioner.
A milking cluster is used for milking a dairy animal such as a cow having an udder and a plurality of teats. The animal is milked in a parlor which may have a milking platform for supporting the animal, a pit for supporting a milking attendant, and a curb between the milking platform and the pit. The animal has a milking position on the platform with its head facing forwardly away from the pit, and its rump facing rearwardly toward the pit, such that the attendant has access to the teats. The milking cluster includes a claw having a plurality of inlets, and an outlet. The milking cluster has a milking position with the claw beneath the udder. The cluster further includes a plurality of teatcups, each connected to a respective teat, a plurality of milk tubes, each connecting a respective claw inlet to a respective teatcup, an air fork having a plurality of outlets, and one or more inlets, a plurality of air tubes, each connecting a respective air fork outlet to a respective teatcup, one or more vacuum pulsation lines connected to the one or more air fork inlets, and a milk hose connected to the claw outlet and extending over the curb.
Positioning the milking unit squarely under the cow's udder such that the weight distribution is nearly equal on all quarters aids in extracting milk from the cow quickly, gently and completely. Positioning of milking units has been a challenge from the advent of the first milking units. Bucket milking units were supported by straps over the cow's back. Pipeline milking units use wire forms that hook on the milk pipeline or the stanchion frame. In herringbone and tandem parlors, an arm type device is used. In all cases, except the bucket milking unit, the hook or arm is supporting the weight of the milk hose so that the weight distributed by the milking claw is nearly even. When the angle of the milk hose is correct, the milking unit should be positioned squarely under the udder. In all cases mentioned, the lack of a support device results in an increased amount of weight being applied to the front quarters of the cow.
With the advent of the parallel type parlor stall, the weight distribution has become more of an issue. In a pipeline or herringbone type set-up, if no hose support is used, the milk hose is usually long enough that the hose would angle down and rest on the floor, such that some of the hose weight is supported by the floor. However in a parallel stall with a low milk line, the milk hose usually goes over the curb and under the platform to a milk meter, milk sensor or directly into the milk line. There is often three feet of milk hose that has to be supported by the milking unit if no device is used to support the weight of the hose. The unsupported weight will attempt to pull the unit out from under the cow, resulting in very little weight being applied to the rear quarters, and a majority of the weight being applied to the front quarters. This results in an incomplete extraction of milk from the rear quarters in some cases. To get nearly even weight distribution on all four teats of a dairy cow, the milk hose needs to be supported and a slight forward force applied to the milking unit.
Dairy equipment manufacturers have provided a number of devices to aid in supporting the weight of the milk hose in parallel parlors. These include curb mounted brackets made of plastic and stainless steel, staff designs with a yoke to place the milk hose in and cords or chains that are counterweighted to support the milk hose. These designs have various disadvantages. The curb mounted hose supports generally do not accommodate but one milk hose size and have no adjustment for hose size variation. The milk hose is pinched from two sides which results in an oval cross section that is more prone to collapse. The curb-mounted brackets need to slide on the curb to allow for proper positioning behind a cow which can sometimes be difficult because of weld joints on the curb or dirt build-up. If a cow shifts forward to the point where the milk hose is under tension, the milking unit can be pulled off the cow or cause a slip which is undesirable. Being mounted to the curb, these brackets can catch on hoses and cords during milking unit detach or claw drop functions and/or be stepped on by cows as they enter the parlor and be a hazard to the operator attendant if bumped with an elbow or kicked into a bracket. These brackets do provide the ability to provide some forward pressure to the milking unit for better weight distribution. The staff style support has the above noted disadvantages of the curb mounted bracket plus it requires more movement and time to adjust and is usually in the way during milking unit attachment, but it does do a better job of positioning the hose for cows with high udders. The counterweighted cord or chain eliminates the problem with the milking unit catching on the bracket, cows stepping on it or the operator bumping it, but they have limited ability to apply forward force for even weight distribution. Some of such devices have multiple cords or chains which get twisted and tangled, causing time to be spent keeping the chains straight.
The present invention addresses and solves the above noted problems in a particularly simple and effective manner. In one form, a hose positioner is provided by a bracket that attaches to the milk hose and hooks over a parallel parlor curb to aid in supporting the weight of the milk hose and positioning the milking unit such that the milking unit stays positioned squarely under the cow's udder in a parallel parlor. The advantage of such device over prior devices is that it attaches to the milk hose, such that when the milking unit is detached, the hose support is lifted off the curb and stays with the hose so that there are no brackets to be hazards for cows or operator attendants. The positioner supports the weight of the hose and allows forward force to be applied to the claw. Because the positioner is not permanently attached to the curb, if the cow moves forward in the stall it will not apply additional tension to the milk hose other than the weight of the milk hose. If a cow shifts sideways in the stall, the positioner will slide and/or rotate to accommodate the cow's new position.